Following the presentation of the new college of Commissioners by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Friday, 27 November 2009, ELDR Party President Annemie Neyts warmly welcomed the portfolios assigned to liberals. "Eight of the Commissioners represent European Liberal Democrat values, which will ensure a liberal footprint on the agenda for change set out by Commission President Barroso in the political guidelines for the new Commission for the coming five years." Read more ...

Next Monday, on the 30th of November, the Council of the European Union is set to decide on the controversial issue of giving the United States of America access to so called SWIFT banking data. This is an issue that has been under preparation for a couple of years and aims at enhancing the odds of tracking down and countering potential terrorists and terrorists acts through the coordination of this data between the EU and the US, and would give the US virtually automatic access to personal bank details of millions of citizens without any European oversight. Read more ...

On 26th November, Centerpartiet, Sweden, with the support of the ELDR Party, is hosting a conference about labour migration and immigration at the Clarion Stockholm Hotel, Ringvägen, Stockholm, Sweden between 10:30 and 16:00. This event is taking place in the framework of the ELDR political and information activities scheme. Read more ...

At the 30th Congress of European Liberal Democrats in Barcelona, Annemie Neyts MEP, was re-elected as President of the ELDR Party to serve her third mandate. 4 out of 7 Vice Presidents were also elected.

Please click here for more information on the members of the ELDR bureau.

“The nomination of Herman Van Rompuy (current Belgian Prime Minister) and Baroness Catherine Ashton (current European Commissioner for Trade) as President of European Union and the High Representative of EU respectively mean the start of a new era. Nonetheless, let me express my deep disappointment because of the lack of liberals amongst the four top jobs” Annemie Neyts, President of the ELDR party said this morning at the press conference of the 30th Congress of European liberals in Barcelona. Read more ...

Economic liberalism after the financial crisis and the way to kick start the new Europe are on the top priorities of ELDR members gathering in Barcelona for a two-day of discussions at the annual Congress. Annemie Neyts, who stands for the third mandate as ELDR President, gave an overview of the successful last years. Click here to see the pictures Read more ...

Leveling the political playing field for women is one of the foremost commitments of ELDR. The aim of the European Liberals has always been equal opportunity ensuring for men and women the possibility to develop their talents and give a harmonious shape to politics. ELDR works so that women can represent the civil society in an equal proportion as men. Read more ...

The annual Congress of ELDR will officially open the doors on Thursday 18 November in Barcelona for two days of seminars, working groups and the adoption of the theme resolution “Kick-start Europe! For a new prosperity”. Read more ...

The new President of Liberal International, VVD Member of the ELDR party, Hans van Baalen has been expelled from Nicaragua by the Sandinista President Daniel Ortega.Van Baalen heard of this action against him shortly after leaving the country by airplane to Costa Rica. Read more ...

ELDR member parties, Zares, Slovenia and HNS, Croatia, organised a joint conference about 'perspectives on active citizenship' on Thursday 5th November. The event brought together more than 50 participants from The Netherlands, Croatia and Slovenia in Otocec, Slovenia. Read more ...

On Saturday 7 November 2,000 party members assembled in the city of Breda in the south of The Netherlands for the autumnal D66 Congress to discuss the latest political developments and the state of the party. Read more ...

With the collaboration of the ELDR Party, Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya organized the conference ‘Africa vista des de Catalunya’ with the participation of some European and African leaders. Read more ...

The ELDR Party welcomes the President Vaclav Klaus’ signature of the Czech Republic’s ratification of the Lisbon Treaty on Tuesday 3 November. It signals the end of a long process to reform the European Union Treaties, which started in 2001 with the Laeken declaration – initiated by former Prime Minister and ALDE Group Leader Guy Verhofstadt - to make EU decision-making more democratic, transparent and more efficient. Read more ...

ELDR Party President Annemie Neyts met with a senior delegation of the Network of Arab Liberals in the European Parliament to discuss liberal approaches for migration policies in the Mediterranean Region. This network of Arab liberal parties (that comprises amongst other Arab liberal parties also three full members of Liberal International) could be a vital link for European Liberal Democrats to intensify discussions on this topic that already makes the headlines in Europe. Read more ...

Hans van Baalen of ELDR’s full member party VVD succeeds John Lord Alderdice who spearheaded the umbrella organization of almost 100 liberal parties worldwide the past 4 years. Read more ...